Mailing-case



(No Model.)

G. E. TAYLOR.

MAILING GASE.

No. 432,253. Patented July 15, 1890.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE ELBERT TAYLOR, OF ROCHESTER, NEV YORK.

MAILING-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,253, dated July 15, 1890.

Application filed February 21, 1890. Serial No. 341,310. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE ELBERT TAY- LOR, of the city of Rochester, county of Monroe, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mailing-CasesforFrangibleArticles and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My present invention has for its object to provide packing or mailing case for clinical thermometers and similar delicate or frangible articles, whereby they can be sent through the mails without liability of being broken in transit; and it has for its object to provide a case that can be constructed very cheaply and which admirably serves the purpose for which it is intended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a case constructed in accordance with my invention, partly broken away at one point; Fig. 2, a top plan View of a case with a clinical thermometer in position therein; Fig. 3, a longitudinal sectional view of the mailing-case, taken on the line was, Fig. 2, with a thermometer and its containing-casing closed and ready for mailing; Fig. 4, a crosssectional view on the line y y of Fig. 3; Fig.

5, a perspective View of one of the supporting-bands.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures denote similar parts.

In carrying out my invention I propose to employ flexible and preferably elastic bands or suspending-strips for engaging the opposite ends of the thermometer or other similar article, which, being freely suspended from the casing and under sufficient tension to securely maintain it in place, will serve to prevent sudden shocks being communicated to the article or instrument or its coming in direct contact with the casing and being broken.

The present embodiment of my invention consists of a packing case or box A, having in its side pieces, near the ends, slots which are closed when the bottom B is placed in position, said slots being preferably formed by sawing into the side pieces from the lower sides before the bottom is put on. in these slots and extending transversely Located acrossthebox are strips or bands C, preferably of elastic rubber, though other flexible fabric might be employed, if desired; and in the present construction the bands are formed separate, and are each provided with lateral extensions or heads 0 on the ends, which, when they are in position, co-operate with the outer sides of the casing and prevent the ends of the bands being drawn through the slots. In use the thermometer or otheir article is placed in the casing, the ends being engaged with the band C, and the elasticity of the latter serving to suspend it, as in Figs. 2 and 3, preventing its contact with the bottom or ends of the casing. In mailing clinical thermometers it is customary to send with them a pocket-case, (represented byD in the-drawings,) and this can conveniently be placed within the casing A, the upper portion of the bands 0 serving to support it and hold it in contact with sliding cover E of the casing, if desired; but in order to properly position it I prefer to encircle the thermometer with an elastic washer F, (shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4,) having a depression in its upper side, in which the casing D rests and by which all tumbling about is prevented.

WVhile I have shown the bands 0 as made separate, it is obvious that they could, if desired, be part of a continuous band, which might be placed in the slots in the casing before the bottom was placed in position, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2; or, if desired, the bands could be secured at opposite ends to the inside of casing A by suitable means, the essential feature being to suspend the article out of contact with the casing by two bands more or less elastic. Fabric or tape might perhaps be employed, and I regard these as within my invention; but I prefer rubber for obvious reasons. WVith rubber, or fabric as well, the ends of the article are forced into it more or less, as shown, thus obtaining a firm seat all around, and thereby preventing accidental displacement.

I claim as my invention-.

1. In a holder for frangible articles, the combination, with the casing, of the elastic bands, of greater width than the ends of the article to be held, stretched opposite each other within the casing, but removed from the ends thereof and arranged to press upon the ends of the article and hold it in suspension, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a substantially rigid box or casing open on one side and having the slotted side pieces, of the transverselyextending elastic bands wider than the ends of the article to be carried, held in side slots and adapted to embrace the ends of the article and hold it out of contact with the cas' ing, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a box or casing having the slots in the sides, of the transversely-extending bands having the extensions or flanges at the ends engaging the outer sides of the slots, said bands being wider than tion a pocket-case or similar article in the casing, substantially as described.

GEORGE ELBERT TAYLOR.

Vitnesses:

FRED F CHURCH:

E. TRUE. 

